Back in June it was announced that Stardew Valley would make its way to the Wii U eShop along with other console platforms; developer Concerned Ape expressed enthusiasm about utilising the GamePad's second screen, for example.
It seemed like a good fit for Nintendo's system; Stardew Valley has been a major success on PC, with its charming aesthetic and gameplay hooks earning a lot of fans. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Harvest Moon, it blends farming and living off the land with elements of adventure.
An announcement of release dates for PS4 and Xbox One, however, has now also confirmed that the title is no longer coming to Wii U, with development moved over to the Nintendo Switch. The update says the following.
Stardew Valley will not be coming to the Wii U, however. Looking at Wii U and the current gaming landscape, we made the difficult choice to shift our development efforts to creating a version for Nintendo Switch. I am really looking forward to the Switch, and I believe that the Switch's unique capabilities could create some exciting opportunities for Stardew Valley. I do want to emphasize that I am absolutely committed to seeing Stardew Valley on Nintendo platforms, and I really do appreciate your support and understanding in this.
It's not particularly surprising, and a number of developers will likely move to Nintendo's next system due to the declining interest and role of the Wii U in the current market.
Are you disappointed this is skipping Wii U, or just excited that it's coming to Switch? Let us know in the comments.
With thanks to Benson for the heads up.
[source stardewvalley.net]
Comments 85
Nothing to be mad about, really. The Wii U is basically dead and attempting to reap maximum profits from an outdated system isn't business smart. Won't be the last developer making the "switch" (Yes, I went there)
Why port a game to the Wii U, when you can port it to a brand new console you'll potentially make more profits off of?
Stop!, It's already dead.
I appreciate being so forthcoming about it. The Switch is all but guaranteed to have much longer legs than the Wii U, so I'd rather see them wait, release it on a (hopefully) vibrant platform, and come to like Nintendo instead of blaming them for a game not selling when it's on a dead system. I remember VBlank's insistence on releasing Retro City Rampage on the Wii Shop Channel, and how horribly that went over. I'd hate to see anyone else do that again.
Seems logical.
oooooooooooooooof course... saw that coming from miles away... can't blame them tho...
Watch as people complain even though it was inevitable.
The first of many Switches. 😁
Other then Zelda the only other big name that I even care about is Yooka-Laylee and I doubt that will skip the U since they designed it on the system.
Um, wasn't it supposed to be released in a matter of weeks?
@manu0 Yeah, it is. Next week I believe. Kinda weird, either a Wii U version was never in development, or they cancelled an almost complete version of the game..
very disappointed.
Seeing what happened, to Axiom Verge's Wii U release, I can't blame them.
Adding to the launch window for the Switch however will make it a strong addition.
Aww man... Just disappointed having to wait even longer
@RupeeClock what happened to axiom verge release?
This was the game I was looking at buying day 1 on Wii u to play over Christmas.
So the resources aren't there to release it on both? Seems kinda silly considering the game is already done and would just require porting it.
Ah well. I'll keep playing on pc until I get a NS. Actually I think I may like this the go... I was hoping for gamepad inventory. However I appreciate the candidness (and since I already have the the game and I am working on SoS still) so I will still gladly give this dev my money.
I hate saying this but Eric lied. The game was not in development in the first place. I am an indie game developer and star dew valley was created in xna/monogames like mine game( 3 years development) and axiom verge. The wii u don't support xna/mongames only way to port it you need to convert it in html or rebuild the game in unity. I knew this game will get cancel in the beginning. THE DEV LIED. ALSO STICKMAN STUDIO port axiom verge to the Wii u and they port star valley also on Xbox one and ps4.
@Octane Or it was cancelled a while ago and they just didn't say anything until now.
@neyoung8
It released to spectacularly underwhelming sales.
At least, I recall it did, but I'm having difficulty finding the article I recall reading about this? Maybe I was mistaken.
I was going to buy it on my wii u. Guess i will still buy it on switch unless i cave in and get the pc version first. Had been holding myself back in anticipation of the wii u version. How long can a bloke wait? Probably wait for switch version lol means more nintendo based gaming goidness to look forwqrd to next year.
For the switch version it will not going happen anytime soon. It's going to be same thing to Wii u development. The switch does not support xna/monogames
Bolt05 the game was not in development in the first place
@IceClimbers Most likely, but I always prefer transparency in that case. When was the Wii U version canned? Last month when the Switch was announced? That still sounds like a lot of work going to waste then.
@Octane No the games was not in development in the first place. Also I contact kerbal space program developers they said the Wii u version is not cancel its coming to the Wii u December
Oh well let's hope shantae still coming to the Wii u
Well as long as it still goes to PS4 or Xbox since I won't be getting a Switch until 2018 at least. 3DS would be nice but, um, yeah.
Too bad about the Wii U version, but I've been wanting a portable version of this game. Can't wait!
@buildz Was it really inevitable though? The Wii U version was supposed to come out within the next week or two with no hint of cancelation.
I'm not mad at the developer for canceling it, but I am disappointed.
Question now is will Yooka - Laylee Dev team tell us the same?
That sucks.
EDIT: At this point, I'm thinking about cancelling my Breath of the Wild Wii U reservation and just getting a Switch.
Yay! Now I don't have to put off the Steam version whenever I have the time and money for it. Thanks!
Wow, that's kinda sad. That just says how irreverent the Wii U is nowadays. Makes me wonder if Yooka-Laylee's Wii U version will be cancelled for a Switch version.
This game is great. I would buy it for the Switch, but I'm not sure I can justify it when I already own it on PC. I might consider it if I find myself utilizing the portability of the Switch a lot. Definitely recommended for people who enjoy games like Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing.
@Octane Wouldn't be the first time a nearly completed game was cancelled. Look at Star Fox II, The Shadow on SNES and countless others. Maybe some day a rom file of Wii U Stardew Valley will make it onto the internet like Star Fox II.
Of course not, very much looking forward to the Switch update.
I would of liked to get Stardew Valley for the Wii U but I plan to get the Switch so I'm ok with this.
@mariophd
I was so glad they released Retro City Rampage on the Wii Shop Channel. They made a fan with that decision.
I'll also add that Yooka Laylee better not be canceled as well. I payed good money to those guys for a Wii U port of the game, not a Switch port.
And Bloodstained... for some reason I'm more okay with a canceled Wii U version that Yooka-Laylee and I'm not sure why.
The more that make the jump to Switch the better imo. I'm ready to move up, move on and game on.
Lol i think the Switch will be overloaded with games
@Mega_Yarn_Poochy Probably because the Wii U version could be a mess or too inferior, considering that apparently it's beeing developing with other engine by a different team.
Doesn't bother me one bit, because I don't care for these kind of games like harvest moon, and animal crossing. But I think it will be for the best to move it to the NS.
Good thing I have it on my PC then. I really like this game.
@HeroOfCybertron @JaxonH I just can't understand your sentiment. Either you guys are super rich "elite" or you think that money is disposable. Most of us can't afford to purchase new consoles every few years so these developers will not see any of our money for several years if ever since we can't afford to make the Switch. Plus the Switch is essentially a mobile device and I'm so pee'd about Nintendo's handling of the Wii U that it'll likely be the first Nintendo console that I'll skip, yes I've had them all from the NES to the Wii U.
@Oscarzxn Yeah, it's being developed by the old Rare team "Playtonic" so if anything it'd be the superior less bugged version.
The other versions are being developed by a third party.
IF they came out back then and said that they would make it for the WII U so they needed to stand with they word. If want to port to other system that ok, but when you committed yourself to do something, just do it, regardeless the standing point of the platform. But going to others platforms to make more profit, no problem here.
Damn it anyway! I was looking forward to that game.
No complaints there. Not like anything major had been lost, anyway.
Very disappointed!
"Looking at Wii U and the current gaming landscape, we made the difficult choice"
Must have been a really difficult choice after looking at the Wii U. lol
Someone: U is dead, wii should port it instead to the Switch.
Someone Else: Oh, I don't know, this is a really difficult decision, what should we do?
Someone: Switch!
Someone Else: This is soooo hard, I'm just not sure.
@Priceless_Spork I just wish that he'd brought it to the eShop instead. If only to make off-tv play viable. I got it on 3DS as well and definitely enjoyed it, but to know he probably made no money on it for the Wii whatsoever kills me inside. Lousy Wii Shop sales threshold nonsense. I'm similarly glad to see his next game will still come to 3DS, but I would hate to see developers sour on Nintendo platforms due to poor sales for committing to dead hardware.
The more games that make the move, the better. I've already mentally moved on from the Wii U and won't be buying any new games for it.
This won't be the last. Certainly makes logical sense to move futures onto the Switch.
@neyoung8 it really is a fantastic game.
@Rukiafan7
You say "most of us can't afford to buy a new console every few years" yet in your very next breath you state you've owned every single Nintendo console since the NES. Pretty sure those have been releasing every 5 years for the last three decades. And we are officially in year 5 right now for the Wii U...
That aside, Switch is indeed a mobile device. But... that's not all it is. It's also a console just like Wii U was. Being mobile doesn't make it any less of a console, so I'm not really sure where you're going with that.
Idk what more you'd have them do with Wii U. They've supported it since it launched and they gave it a great library. But the fact is... it's had it's time, and now it's time to look ahead to the future. If you wish to "punish" Nintendo out of resentment over Wii U and refuse to buy Switch, I guess that's your prerogative.
But me? All I know is I like to play video games, and am very excited for what's coming next. The Wii U is so incredibly dated features-wise, it's so clunky and slow... and it's got no games coming out for it beyond Zelda. Why would anyone want to hang on to that? Don't get me wrong- I'm very fond of the system, it's got a great library and I especially love playing my GameCube games on in HD widescreen... but it's a dead system. An old, dated, clunky dead system. It's time to move on. It's time to graduate to a sleek, sexy, modern Nintendo console. That's the future
Although I have it on PC, I'd prefer it came to Vita instead. Not getting Switch so I'll just keep playing on PC.
I was going to buy this one, but I've been waiting for a portable version on either the 3DS or the Vita. Probably Vita. That said, if Switch is as good as they say I'd be quite happy waiting a few extra months.
Was actually holding off on getting it on PC for the Wii U version, gamepad inventory sounded great for this game. Still not interested in Switch so might as well just go for the steam version now
I like this. Can't wait for the ultimate version...Stardew Valley 64!
If they were dropping support for a Nintendo console altogether then this would be annoying, but choosing to focus on the newer console is perfectly understandable... in an ideal world the best outcome would have seen them developing both Wii U and Switch versions, but they probably don't have the resources for that.
Makes sense to me, though it's a shame we'll miss out on second screen capabilities.
this game has always looked interesting to me.
@Rukiafan7 I was talking about Bloodstained.
Meh, I'm a Rune Factory guy.
I really hope we still get Darksiders Warmastered Edition on Wii U
D:
Too bad. They lost a customer with me.
@TheLegendOfLaser Why not port it to both? Happened all the time with PS3 and PS4
@whodatninja The PS3 is still an ongoing concern now, the WiiU has been "Dead console walking" for over a year, that's the big difference, in 4 months Switch will come out and WiiU will be utterly gone, 4 months isn't much of a window for money-making for any game...
Paraphrasing a quote from our lovable murderous AI:
"The Wii U dead, insect. Are you afraid? What is it that you fear? The end of your trivial console support? When the history of my glory is written, Wii U shall only be a footnote to my magnificence.
I AM SWITCH."
Well, seeing as I'm not buying a Switch, yes this is disappointing.
I understand Why, but I'm still very sad as I expected to be able to play that game on Xmas holidays...
Too bad !
PS : Even if I understand, I admit that I'm not sure it is a smart move, the port was probably almost ready as it was supposed to be released this week (still confirmed a few weeks ago) and even if not a lot of people own the Wii U, there must be a significant number of Wii U Owners who would have bought this game (like me for example)... And it's the kind of game that you would probably 're-buy' when you get on a new console if you like it for what I understand... Well too bad for us Wii U owners anyway.
How about a 3DS release? My daughters would love that.
Understandable, but super disappointing nonetheless. This would have been my main holiday game on Wii U.
Why is everone so leniant towards this developer? Didn't they promise it would come out very soon on Wii U? Very big dissapointment imo, even apart from all the lies they have spread of it being in 'development'. Shame on them.
Bad news for me. I was hoping to play SV with Wii U Gamepad in my bad.
Its developers like this who killed Wii U.
@FTPinkRabbit It would look so much better on Vita.
Maaannn... I was looking forward tat having something to play on the Wii U for a while. Oh well, the Switch is only three/four months away...
Why are so many people hating on the Switch suddenly?
Makes sense. Why port another game to a dead console?
@YoshiParty Lol, the Wii U is irreverent...
@Spoony_Tech I really hope Yooka-Laylee doesn't jump ship, since I've been looking forward to it for a while. I understand why companies would do this, particularly smaller outfits with limited funding and a pressing need to get a return on investment, but it's still a drag for the consumer.
Unfortunate since they promised us a release and now I won't be buying the game at all.
Don't plan on making a Switch to an iPad like device. Will be using the Wii U or PS4. May purchase an XBOX before thinking about Nintendo's new iPad.
@Kroko
there trying to justify a reason to not buy it because "its too expensive"
@BenAV finally someone with brain! Don't waste any other money on the WII U. It's dead! MOve on people
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